Santa Cl-Ars —

The Ars Technica ultimate holiday gift guide 2020

We propose some last-minute tech gift ideas for the various people in your life.

Gifts for around the house

Eufy Indoor Cam 2K

Eufy's Indoor Cam 2K.
Enlarge / Eufy's Indoor Cam 2K.
Jeff Dunn
Eufy Indoor Cam 2K product image

Eufy Indoor Cam 2K

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A good indoor security camera can provide peace of mind when you’re out of the home, keeping an extra eye on pets, kids, and possessions. Eufy’s Indoor Cam 2K is an excellent value here: it captures clear video, day or night, with a sharp 2K resolution, and its companion app is well-featured and easy to use.

That app can promptly send alerts to your phone when it detects different sounds or motion, and you can set specific activity zones for the camera to watch out for. It’s also possible to adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor if the frequency of alerts gets too high. You can manually record a clip or screenshot in real time, use the camera’s built-in mic and speaker to have a conversation, and manually trigger a built-in alarm function as well.

Another benefit of the Indoor Cam 2K is that it lets you record video in several ways. You can sign up for Eufy’s cloud recording service for $3 a month or $30 a year for 30 days of saved clips—which isn’t super expensive, relatively speaking—or use Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video service if you own an iOS device. Unfortunately, using HomeKit limits recordings to 1080p. If you’d prefer to keep your recordings local, you can do so with a microSD card or NAS. Eufy gives the option to record in 1080p to save storage space, and it’s possible to record either continuously or only when the camera detects an event.

The camera’s 125-degree field of view isn’t the widest we’ve seen, and the actual hardware is neither super flexible nor premium feeling. But for a $40 camera that hits all the other fundamentals, those aren’t dealbreakers.

RavPower PD Pioneer 90W 2-Port Wall Charger (RP-PC128), Aukey Omnia PA-B4

RavPower's RP-PC128 and Aukey's Omnia PA-B4 wall charger.
Enlarge / RavPower's RP-PC128 and Aukey's Omnia PA-B4 wall charger.
Jeff Dunn

A good wall charger is a basic but consistently useful gadget. If you’d like to upgrade someone’s everyday charger, pick up RavPower’s RP-PC128. It’s a 90W charger with two USB-C Power Delivery ports. Each can supply up to 90W individually, which is enough to charge many power-hungry laptops at full speed, but they can also split that power when used simultaneously. So, it’s possible to charge two lower-power laptops at 45W a piece, or charge one notebook up to 60W while charging a phone up to 30W. RavPower includes a USB-C to -C cable in the box, and while the charger isn’t USB-IF certified, we’ve tested it for several months without any safety issues.

The RavPower charger uses gallium nitride (GaN) technology, so it’s impressively compact (2.5×2.5×1.2 inches) for the amount of power it puts out. But if you don’t need quite as much juice or would prefer a more compact device, we also like Aukey’s Omnia PA-B4. This is a 65W charger with two USB-C PD ports, which isn’t ideal for bigger laptops but is still fast enough to charge the vast majority of smartphones and tablets at max speed. Notably, it measures just 2.05×2.05×1.18 inches, so it takes up even less space on a power strip.

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Bluelounge CableBox

The Bluelounge CableBox.
Enlarge / The Bluelounge CableBox.
Jeff Dunn

The Bluelounge CableBox is a simple plastic box designed to fit most surge protectors and hide any rat’s nest of cords that may stem from one. It’s easy to open, flame-retardant, and clean-looking. The cutouts on its sides give ample room to slide out whatever cords you need. It’s certainly possible for someone to DIY a product like this, but the CableBox is a straightforward and attractive way to reduce clutter.

Bluelounge CableBox product image

Bluelounge CableBox

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LapGear Designer

The LapGear Designer.
Enlarge / The LapGear Designer.
Jeff Dunn

A good lap desk like the LapGear Designer can make working from the couch more comfortable. This model comes in a variety of finishes, with a soft microbead cushion on the bottom and smooth yet sturdy faux-wood material on the top. It weighs around two pounds, adds about three inches of height, and keeps excess heat from reaching the lap. Different models can fit up to 15- or 17-inch laptops.

There are several useful touches beyond that, including a slot for holding a phone, a plastic stop that prevents the laptop from sliding off when rested at an angle, an elastic strap for holding down loose paper, and a small handle for carrying the desk around. It also comes with a 90-day warranty if needed. Working from a lap desk all day still isn’t ideal for one’s wrists, but the Designer gives little to complain about when it’s needed.

LapGear Designer product image

LapGear Designer

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Sonos Beam

The Sonos Beam smart soundbar.
Enlarge / The Sonos Beam smart soundbar.
Jeff Dunn

While the image quality of modern TVs continues to improve, the speakers built into those sets remain largely mediocre. A soundbar like the Sonos Beam can help improve that.

This is a 3.0-channel soundbar that’s relatively compact at about 26-inches wide, so it’s better situated in smaller living rooms or with secondary TVs. But it still plays loud and has an impressive soundstage for its size, so movies and music feel appropriately sized. While it struggles to produce deep sub-bass without a dedicated subwoofer, it has a neutral, well-balanced audio profile that generally keeps content sounding natural.

Like many Sonos products, the Beam is lacking in connectivity options: there’s no Bluetooth audio support and only two ports for HDMI-ARC and Ethernet. There’s also no support for Dolby Atmos or DTS:X surround sound. But the device is simple to set up and operate through the Sonos app, and Apple users can stream audio directly to the soundbar through AirPlay 2. It’s easy to add other Sonos speakers to the Beam over time, and you can access Alexa or the Google Assistant directly from the device. There are certainly better-sounding options that cost more, but the Beam is a nice first upgrade for those who’d appreciate something compact and uncomplicated.

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Sonos Move

The Sonos Move pops on and off its charging base easily.
Enlarge / The Sonos Move pops on and off its charging base easily.
Jeff Dunn

If you’re looking for a good home speaker that isn’t restricted to the TV, we can also recommend the Sonos Move. This is a battery-powered speaker that works over Wi-Fi in the house or Bluetooth when you’re away from your home network. Its audio quality naturally takes a dip with the latter, but either way the Move has a full, powerful sound with rich bass and clean mid-range details. It’s also capable of automatically adjusting its sound to the environment in which it’s currently placed, correcting itself if it’s closer to a wall or other obstacle.

The Move is a large and hefty (6.6 lbs.) speaker, so it’s not as portable as other Bluetooth speakers. It gets about 10 hours of battery life, which is just decent. But the design has a high-end feel, with a convenient cutout on the back that makes it easier to transport. It can charge over USB-C on the road, but it also comes with a charging cradle that takes up little space and holds the speaker in place. The device also has an IP56 rating, which means it can withstand some rain even if it’s not full-on waterproof.

This is an undoubtedly premium speaker, and at $399 it’s priced as such. The Sonos One (or One SL) is a better value for those who don’t need a speaker with the flexibility to work outdoors or on the road. But if they do, the Move is a high performer.

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Marshall Emberton, EarFun Go

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If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker that’s less expensive and more portable, consider the Marshall Emberton. It’s nicely compact at 2.7×6.3×3.0 inches, it has a useful one-button control system that handles volume and track playback, and it’s IPX7-rated to be waterproof. We like the retro guitar-amp-style look of it, too, as well as the soft rubber coating around its sides. Battery life is solid at 15 to 20 hours (depending on how loudly you play it), and there’s a handy LED readout that displays how much power is left. There’s also a USB-C port for charging.

Most importantly, the Emberton sounds excellent for its size. It’s not a neutral audio profile by any means, but it’s consistently smooth and balanced, with a surprising amount of volume, high-end clarity, and mid-range detail. It’s still a small speaker, so it won’t get truly deep sub-bass, but it presents enough upper-bass oomph to sound lively and fun. The only real downside is that there’s no speakerphone functionality.

We think you won’t be disappointed with the Emberton, but if you’re looking for a speaker that costs less than $50, get the EarFun Go. It doesn’t sound as rich as the Emberton, but for the price it’s still clear and loud enough. Its pill-shaped design is light and easily portable, with an IPX7 waterproof rating, a USB-C charging port, and around 20 hours of battery life.

JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless

The JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless.
Enlarge / The JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless.
Jeff Dunn

Buying a pair of headphones specifically designed for kids can ensure that your little one isn’t damaging their ears with overly loud music. If you’re interested in taking that extra step, the JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless has a built-in volume limiter that keeps audio under a doctor-approved level of 85 decibels.

In addition to that, the JBuddies connect over Bluetooth—which is a must these days with so many devices ditching the headphone jack—and get a good 20+ hours of battery life. They can also use an included cable if needed. The design is durable enough to withstand a few beatings, and JLab covers the device with a two-year warranty. All the control buttons are large enough that kids over 5 should be able to pick them up easily. And while the sound quality isn’t great, it’s not horrible for $30. We doubt you’re shopping for an audiophile anyway.

JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless product image

JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless

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Apple iPad Air (4th gen)

The 2020 iPad Air.
Enlarge / The 2020 iPad Air.
Samuel Axon

The latest iPad Air is a tremendous tablet, offering most of the best features from Apple’s upscale iPad Pro series at a lower price. It has a thin design (0.24 inches), excellent performance, a beautiful 10.9-inch display, support for accessories like Apple’s Smart Keyboard and Pencil stylus, and, as always, tons of useful apps and features through iPadOS. It doesn’t have any “Face ID” tech, but it does have a “Touch ID” fingerprint reader baked into its power button.

The only major complaints are the less-than-ideal 64GB of default storage and the somewhat expensive $599 starting price. The less expensive 10.2-inch iPad is still a fine choice for those who only need a tablet for lighter work and Web browsing, but the iPad Air is a significant step-up in both speed and design. If cost isn’t a factor, it’s the iPad most worth buying.

Apple iPad Air (4th gen) product image

Apple iPad Air (4th gen)

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Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

Amazon's Fire HD 8 Kids Edition.
Enlarge / Amazon's Fire HD 8 Kids Edition.
Jeff Dunn
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition product image

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

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The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition isn’t nearly as fast or well-made as an iPad, and its display is neither as sharp nor as vibrant. But if you’re buying for a young child and wary of them breaking it, Amazon’s slate comes with a large bumper case that should keep it safe from drops. That case is removable, fair warning, but the tablet also comes with a two-year warranty against accidental damage.

Besides that, Amazon packages in a year-long subscription to its Kids+ service (formerly FreeTime Unlimited), which includes an array of books, videos, TV shows, and games mostly aimed at younger kids. The 8-inch display isn’t particularly high-end, but it’s competent enough for reading and video viewing, and performance isn’t so slow as to be annoying. Amazon also gives a fairly comprehensive set of parental controls, so you can keep things like Alexa and location access off when a kid’s account is in use.

Paying up for an iPad is probably the better choice to keep a kid over 10 or so entertained, but if you’re shopping for a younger child, know that there is a competent option for closer to $100.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.
Enlarge / The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.
Jeff Dunn
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K product image

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

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If you want to make it easier for a loved one to stream video to a 4K TV, grab the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. It loads apps and menus quickly, has an effective voice search function using Amazon’s Alexa assistant, and does a good job of remembering where apps have been suspended. Unlike Roku’s Streaming Stick+, it supports a variety of HDR standards—including HDR10, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG—and displays its main menus in HDR. It supports nearly all of the major streaming apps natively (NBC’s Peacock aside), though most apps that aren’t supported are relatively easy to add with a little extra effort.

If there’s a downside, it’s Amazon’s user interface, which tends to advertise Amazon’s own Prime Video content and can sometimes feel crowded. But the company has announced a UI overhaul that should tidy up the look and will add features like multiuser support and picture-in-picture video. That’s scheduled to hit the Fire TV Stick 4K in early 2021. Regardless, those who want a clean UI might want the aforementioned Roku Streaming Stick+ or Google’s Chromecast with Google TV. (Just note the latter is missing Apple’s TV+ app.) In truth, while we prefer the Fire TV Stick 4K by a hair, there isn’t a ton to separate each streamer, so the best choice might be whichever one you find on sale.

SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch

SanDisk's microSD Card for Nintendo Switch is fast and reliable, regardless of whether you use it with an actual Switch console.
Enlarge / SanDisk's microSD Card for Nintendo Switch is fast and reliable, regardless of whether you use it with an actual Switch console.
Jeff Dunn

Though its name suggests otherwise, SanDisk’s microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch is a great microSD card for any device that supports microSD storage, not just the Switch. Either way, it provides a better blend of fast read/write speeds and low price than most other cards we’ve tested.

While it’s not as quick as a good UHS-II card like Lexar’s Professional 1800x, the U3, V30-rated SanDisk card is significantly cheaper and still speedy enough to capture 4K video, run Switch games, or do most other common tasks without serious hindrances. It’s readily available, so your risk of buying a fake is low, and it comes from a trusted company that covers the card with a limited lifetime warranty.

SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (128GB) product image

SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (128GB)

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Raspberry Pi 4

The Raspberry Pi 4.
Enlarge / The Raspberry Pi 4.
Jeff Dunn

The Raspberry Pi continues to be an easy recommendation for tech enthusiasts and would-be tinkerers. The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the latest version of the mini Linux PC, and while it’s not powerful enough to be an actual desktop PC alternative for most, it’s still impressively capable for a device that starts at $35. (That model comes with 2GB of RAM, though models with 4GB and 8GB are available for a bit more.)

Either way, the appeal here is still the host of fun DIY projects you can create with it, from a homemade smart speaker to a retro game emulator to TV media center. Just note that if you’re buying for someone who has never used a Pi before, you may want to buy a kit that includes heat sinks to keep the PC from overheating if taxed.

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B product image

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

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LectroFan Classic

The LectroFan.
Enlarge / The LectroFan.
Jeff Dunn
ASTI LectroFan Classic product image

ASTI LectroFan Classic

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The static of a white noise machine isn’t a magic cure-all for sleep troubles—any sudden changes in sleep quality are always best addressed by a doctor—but the LectroFan can help those struggling with loud neighbors or a heavily snoring partner at night. Its random, electronically generated noise is effective at masking outside sounds without coming off as harsh. It offers a wide volume range with 30 different steps, which should cover those in quiet or seriously loud environments, and it has 10 white noise settings that address different frequencies. There is a set of 10 “fan sounds” beyond that, for those who prefer that effect.

All of this is operated through a set of simple front-facing controls, and while the device isn’t wireless, it is small enough to be easily portable. It also comes with a 60-minute timer function for those who want the machine to shut off automatically overnight. There are white noise smartphone apps that can produce similar effects, but for those who may need a tool like this regularly, the LectroFan does the job well.

Dyson V7 Motorhead

The Dyson V7 Motorhead cordless stick vacuum.
Enlarge / The Dyson V7 Motorhead cordless stick vacuum.
Jeff Dunn
Dyson V7 Motorhead product image

Dyson V7 Motorhead

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You probably know the rap on cordless Dyson vacuums by now: they cost a lot and don’t have great battery life, but they’re phenomenal at actually cleaning and attractively designed to boot. All of that holds true with the Dyson V7 Motorhead, which is the most affordable of the company’s cordless stick vacuums.

It only lasts around 25 to 30 minutes per charge, and its trigger-like activation switch needs to be constantly held to supply power, which may annoy some. But it’s lightweight, not too loud, and equipped with a dirt compartment that’s easy to empty without getting your hands dirty. Most importantly, it’s highly effective at getting dust, hair, and other debris out of thicker rugs.

Peruse the Web and you’ll likely find complaints about the long-term durability of Dyson vacuums, but most of these gripes appear to be issues with most vacuums of this type. You should ensure that your gift recipient would specifically like a cordless stick vacuum in the first place, but if so, the V7 impressed enough in our testing to be worth recommending as a premium upgrade. It’s also worth noting that there are alternative V7 (and V8) models that come with vacuum heads for different surfaces, if you find a good price there.

Channel Ars Technica